Identity & origin
BOTANICAL IDENTITY
The right name is the first step.
Citrullus colocynthis (L.) Schrad. belongs to Cucurbitaceae. Kew records it as a perennial or subshrub. Citrullus colocynthis is a specific species. “Colocynth” used loosely for ornamental gourds is not sufficient identification.
Also known as: No synonyms listed.
Citrullus colocynthis is a specific species. “Colocynth” used loosely for ornamental gourds is not sufficient identification. A photograph alone cannot establish identification for consumption.
An illustration is not enough to identify a plant for consumption. Do not forage for a species based solely on this profile.
Uses & evidence
UNDERSTANDING THE USES
Properties & uses.
Documentary reference — fruit
ANSM lists Citrullus colocynthis for the following material: fruit. Inclusion in List B signals that potential adverse effects outweigh the expected therapeutic benefit. The entry does not establish clinical efficacy.
The references do not establish a benefit. Lack of evidence is not assurance of safety.
Read the sourceThe traditional uses described are not clinical proof of effectiveness. Evidence for one preparation cannot automatically be applied to another.
Precautions before use
BEFORE ANY USE
Precautions & contraindications.
This guidance does not cover every individual situation. Missing information is not a guarantee of safety.
The following warnings do not constitute a complete review of interactions or contraindications. An unstudied combination cannot be considered compatible.
Contraindications & precautions
- Safety precaution: do not use this material for self-medication or in a home preparation.
Medicine interactions
- Interactions specific to this species and each preparation are not established by this notice’s documentary sources. This does not establish compatibility with medicines.
“Reported” does not prove causality; “possible” may reflect indirect evidence. “None reported” means none in the cited source, not that all combinations have been studied. Do not stop a prescribed treatment based on this profile.
Adverse effects
- Digestive pain, vomiting, sometimes bloody diarrhoea and dehydration; headache or dizziness is also reported in the review of plant mix-ups.
Pregnancy & breastfeeding
Pregnancy and breastfeeding: no home use is proposed; this notice does not establish evidence supporting use in these situations.
Children & adolescents
Do not give to children on the basis of this notice. A botanical inventory is not a paediatric safety evaluation.
If symptoms persist, worsen or are unusual, consult a healthcare professional. In an emergency, contact the emergency services.
Available evidence
EXPLORE THE EVIDENCE
The available evidence.
This toxicological dossier concerns Citrullus colocynthis (L.) Schrad.. Digestive pain, vomiting, sometimes bloody diarrhoea and dehydration; headache or dizziness is also reported in the review of plant mix-ups. These risks support caution, not a therapeutic benefit.
Potentially severe digestive effects
The ANSES review of plant mix-ups identifies Citrullus colocynthis among toxic plants. For the colocynths and bitter gourds concerned, it describes digestive pain, vomiting and diarrhoea that may become bloody and cause dehydration.
This entry describes a risk or interaction, not a beneficial property.
Read the referenceLimitations to keep in mind.
Do not consume or prepare the plant at home. After suspected exposure, seek poison-centre advice; breathing, neurological or cardiovascular symptoms require urgent help.
Studies, findings & limitations
THE RESEARCH
What the research shows.
A laboratory or animal result alone does not demonstrate a benefit in humans. Each result must be read alongside the preparation studied and its limitations.
Plant mix-ups reported to French poison centres
This entry describes a risk or interaction, not a beneficial property.
- Type of research
- Retrospective poison-centre records analysis, 2012–2018; surveillance data without a control group.
- Preparation concerned
- Exposures and products described by the source; no home dose or preparation is inferred.
- Observed results
- The ANSES review of plant mix-ups identifies Citrullus colocynthis among toxic plants. For the colocynths and bitter gourds concerned, it describes digestive pain, vomiting and diarrhoea that may become bloody and cause dehydration.
- Limitations to consider
- The document identifies risks, does not systematically measure their frequency and establishes no safe quantity. Risks are not therapeutic properties.
What can we take from this?
“Insufficient evidence” refers to establishing therapeutic benefit and use, not to absence of the described risk. This notice does not replace individual toxicological assessment or establish a safe quantity.
Documentary review dated 09/10/2026. The references remain available to check the context.
Sources & last review
CHECKING REFERENCES
Sources for this profile.
- ANSM — French Pharmacopoeia, List B, January 2026, p. 4Accessed on 09/10/2026
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew — Plants of the World Online : Citrullus colocynthis (L.) Schrad.Accessed on 09/10/2026
- Sinno-Tellier S. / ANSES (2019) — Confusion between toxic and edible plants: beware of similarities. Vigil’Anses no. 8Accessed on 09/10/2026
Image: Gianmaria Bonari · CC BY 4.0. View the original image and its licence. Image resized and converted to WebP.